Flat pack having spacer between tubes

Abstract

A flat pack (1) for operating a downhole tool or sensor includes a plurality of tubes (3a, 3b); a spacer (2) disposed between the tubes (3a, 3b); and a jacket (4) encapsulating the tubes (3a, 3b) and the spacer (2). The tubes (3a, 3b) and the spacer (2) are positioned in the jacket (4) in a side-by-side arrangement. The tubes (3a, 3b) and the spacer (2) are not twisted along the flat pack (1).

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A flat pack for operating a downhole tool or sensor, comprising:
 a plurality of tubes; 
 a spacer disposed between the tubes; 
 a tear cord; and 
 a jacket encapsulating the tubes, the spacer, and the tear cord wherein: 
 the tubes and the spacer are positioned in the jacket in a side-by-side arrangement, 
 the tubes and the spacer are not twisted along the flat pack, 
 the spacer has a top, a bottom, and concave sides receiving portions of outer surfaces of the tubes, and 
 the tear cord is disposed in a guide formed in the top or bottom of the spacer. 
 
     
     
       2. The flat pack of  claim 1 , wherein the tubes are each metallic. 
     
     
       3. The flat pack of  claim 1 , wherein the spacer is made from a thermoset polymer having sufficient flexibility so that the flat pack is spoolable. 
     
     
       4. The flat pack of  claim 1 , wherein the jacket is made from a thermoplastic polymer, a thermoplastic copolymer, or a thermoplastic elastomer. 
     
     
       5. The flat pack of  claim 1 , wherein a height of the spacer matches a diameter of at least one of the tubes, and a minimum width of the spacer is at least one millimeter. 
     
     
       6. The flat pack of  claim 1 , wherein a top of the spacer is flat or slightly curved, a bottom of the spacer is flat or slightly curved, and a curvature of each concave side matches a curvature of the respective tube. 
     
     
       7. The flat pack of  claim 6 , wherein a diameter of one of the tubes is greater than a diameter of the other tube. 
     
     
       8. The flat pack of  claim 6 , wherein the concave sides of the spacer are asymmetric. 
     
     
       9. The flat pack of  claim 1 , wherein a cross-section of the spacer resembles an hourglass shape. 
     
     
       10. The flat pack of  claim 1 , wherein the tear cord is an upper tear cord. 
     
     
       11. The flat pack of  claim 1 , wherein the guide is an upper guide formed in the top of the spacer. 
     
     
       12. The flat pack of  claim 1 , further comprising a lower tear cord disposed in a lower guide formed in the bottom of the spacer. 
     
     
       13. The flat pack of  claim 1 , wherein one of the tubes is a flowline. 
     
     
       14. The flat pack of  claim 1 , wherein one of the tubes is part of a tubing encased conductor. 
     
     
       15. The flat pack of  claim 1 , wherein one of the tubes is part of a tubing encased optical cable. 
     
     
       16. The flat pack of  claim 1 , further comprising a pair of bumpers, and second and third spacers disposed between a respective tube and a respective bumper, wherein the jacket also encapsulates the bumpers and the second and third spacers. 
     
     
       17. The flat pack of  claim 1 , wherein the top or bottom of the spacer in which the tear cord is disposed is flat. 
     
     
       18. A flat pack for operating a down hole tool or sensor, comprising:
 a tube; 
 a pair of bumpers; 
 a pair of spacers disposed between the tube and the bumpers; and 
 a jacket encapsulating the tube, the bumpers, and the spacers, 
 wherein the tube, the spacers, and the bumpers are positioned in the jacket in a side-by-side arrangement, and 
 wherein the tube and the spacers are not twisted along the flat pack. 
 
     
     
       19. The flat pack of  claim 18 , wherein the tube is metallic. 
     
     
       20. The flat pack of  claim 18 , wherein the spacer is made from a thermoset polymer having sufficient flexibility so that the flat pack is spoolable. 
     
     
       21. The flat pack of  claim 18 , wherein the jacket is made from a thermoplastic polymer, a thermoplastic copolymer, or a thermoplastic elastomer. 
     
     
       22. The flat pack of  claim 18 , wherein a height of the spacer matches a diameter of the tube, and a minimum width of the spacer is at least one millimeter. 
     
     
       23. The flat pack of  claim 18 , wherein a top of the spacer is flat or slightly curved, a bottom of the spacer is flat or slightly curved, and a curvature of the concave side matches a curvature of the tube. 
     
     
       24. The flat pack of  claim 23 , wherein the concave side of the spacer is a first concave side, the spacer has a second concave side, and the first concave side and the second concave side are asymmetric. 
     
     
       25. The flat pack of  claim 18 , wherein a cross-section of the spacer resembles an hourglass shape. 
     
     
       26. The flat pack of  claim 18 , wherein the tube is a flowline. 
     
     
       27. The flat pack of  claim 18 , wherein the tube is part of a tubing encased conductor. 
     
     
       28. The flat pack of  claim 18 , wherein the tube is part of a tubing encased optical cable. 
     
     
       29. The flat pack of  claim 18 , further comprising a tear cord,
 wherein the jacket also encapsulates the tear cord, 
 wherein the spacer has a top, a bottom, and a concave side receiving a portion of an outer surface of the tube, and 
 wherein the tear cord is disposed in a guide formed in the top or bottom of the spacer. 
 
     
     
       30. The flat pack of  claim 29 , wherein the top or bottom of the spacer in which the tear cord is disposed is flat.